Kochi: As many as 12 Congress workers were placed under preventive detention in Kochi ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the city.

Congress and Youth Congress activists from West Kochi were taken into custody. It is indicated that they were detained by the police in anticipation of a protest against the visit, sources said. There are unconfirmed reports that leaders such as KPCC Secretary Thambi Subramaniam and DCC Secretary Sreekumar are in preventive detention. More people could also be detained later.

Questioning the Kerala police's move, Leader of the Opposition in Kerala Assembly, V D Satheesan asked under what law the cops have taken the Congress leaders into preventive custody.

He said the neither Congress nor UDF had planned any protest against the prime minister during his visit. "The police were acting in a vengeful manner," he said.

"Congress leaders and workers can't go out. The police are picking up those who get out of their houses. Such an authoritarian regime is ruling the state," the Congress leader said, adding that the party would launch an agitation against the police action.

He asked if the police which barged into Congress leaders' houses in several vehicles would dare to hunt down the goons in a similar manner. 

"The police in Kochi are becoming (Joseph) Stalin's police. No matter which leader's orders they are following, it's sheer arrogance. We will fight it at any cost. This is Kerala, not Yogi Adityanath's Uttar Pradesh," he said at a press meet at DCC office.

The Prime Minister is on a two-day visit to Kerala. Upon his arrival from Madhya Pradesh on board an Indian Air Force aircraft at the naval airport at Willingdon Island, Kochi, the PM will be leading a mega road show along the 1.8-km stretch from the Thevara Junction to the Sacred Heart College ground. The rally is scheduled to begin at 5:30 pm.

After attending Yuvam 2023, an interaction programme with the youth at 6 pm, the PM is scheduled to hold a meeting with the heads of different church denominations at 7:45 pm. Following this meeting, to be held at the Taj Malabar, he will be staying overnight at the same hotel.